Youkoso Mangekyo Hotel
by RitaMeow
Summary: Hotels that appear visible to only the ones who are related. Hotels that link you to the past, no matter how unwilling you are. Hotels that will change your life...forever. The Mangekyo has been here since eternity, but what lies in the luxurious hotel accessible to so few? Fem HashiMada TobiIzu, Tobirama/Izuna, Hashirama/Madara
1. Prologue

Hello, readers! I had this idea of hotel fanfiction, so this fic is going to be about a lovely hotel. Please review to let me know if you like what's going on so far and whether you are anticipating the actual story. Enjoy!

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Prologue

Hashirama sighed as he went over every single hotel he found on the Internet. Everything was either too expensive, too horrible, too far, too ridiculously small, or too weird. Damn it, he just needed a hotel to stay for a few nights. Sure, he had a budget, but can't a guy get a decent hotel that's at least habitable? He scrutinized each hotel again, wondering why he had to be such a perceptive guy when it came to beds. It was totally OCD on his part, but he couldn't help but notice every single little flaw on the shot of the room: that bed looks to soft, that bed looks dirty…argh.

"Anija, if you're going to pore over every little detail, I'll do the booking. I'll be much faster." His brother grumbled as he loomed over Hashirama's laptop. "You think about this too much, and you expect too much out of our budget!"

"I'm sure you don't want to sleep in some miserable cot, Tobirama." Hashirama shot back. He went back to clicking every hotel he found, and disappointingly, his feelings towards the beds did not change. Suddenly, as he was about to close the screen and book whatever that he thought highest of, a small icon that indicated a next page appeared. Or, at least that was what he thought. The icon wasn't there a minute ago. Hashirama gasped and eagerly clicked it. Immediately, the page changed, and there was only one hotel on the whole screen.

"Mangekyo Hotel…? Hm, weird name." Hashirama muttered as he read through all the advertising lines. "Wow, really? A pool? My, that bed looks great!"

"What is it now?" Tobirama complained as he glanced at the screen. "I thought you were babbling about how everything was… holy shit." His burgundy eyes went wide with disbelief. "How did you find this?"

"I don't know. It just popped up." Hashirama mumbled as he stared at all the facilities. There was a pool, an amazing bar… and most important of all, the bed looked so comfy Hashirama could feel the fluffiness radiating from the picture. "So you approve of this one? It looks a little extravagant for your taste."

"Of course I approve. You took an hour to decide on a hotel. I'm not waiting for this any longer." Tobirama huffed as he turned back to the budget. "At least this one is cheap enough so we wouldn't exceed out budget…"

Hashirama sighed. There was no changing his brother. He was just so parsimonious and cautious. He went back to the hotel advertisement, booked it immediately, and sighed in anticipation. This was going to be the best night he ever spent on this amount of money. The screen suddenly lit up with a weird pattern, and Hashirama scrambled back in surprise. Weird black lines intersected and made a geometric pattern in a sea of red. Hashirama stared at it in absolute horror, because the pattern somehow looked menacing, and it seemed to resemble something, but he couldn't name it. Slowly, the light died down as the screen returned to the receipt page.

" _What was that…?"_ Hashirama thought, scared out of his wits. Suddenly, the trip didn't sound so inviting anymore.


	2. Chapter 1

Hello, readers! The first official chapters of my new story Youkoso Mangekyo Hotel is here! In this story I will focus on luxurious description, but I still haven't ddecided on the outcome. Sad ending, or happy ending? Please review and comment!

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Hashirama looked out the window as the scenery whizzed pass. They were on a business trip to discuss business matters with another company, and they had decided to go on a little vacation after that. The Mangekyo Hotel was a great choice. He imagined going for a dip in the aquamarine blue pool, or having a nicely-blended cocktail in the sleek-looking bar. Ah, the anticipation! It was killing him. Except for the scary red-and-black pattern part…

" _Oh well, that was probably just a little pop up when you finish the booking…probably nothing…probably nothing…"_ Hashirama thought in his head as he watched the city view go by. Soon, they were in the suburbs.

"Hey, Tobi. Where are we?" He asked as he stared at the large gardens in the huge suburb houses. There were also mountains and areas that looked like the woods. There was a creek running beside the road they were on. He thought the hotel was somewhere in the city, but apparently, he was wrong.

"Huh? Oh, it _is_ in the suburbs, maybe closer to the rural side. At least, it's supposed to be... That's what it said on the home page." Tobirama replied as he turned the driving wheel, muttering to himself. "Turn left, turn right… Number five on Konoha Lane… Okay, we're…here, I guess." Tobirama stopped the car, and Hashirama peered out. A magnificent building stood in all its glory on the left side of the road. A few willows stood in front of it beside a little pond, and various other trees masked part of its structure, but judging by what he had seen, everything was spectacular about this place.

"Wow!" Hashirama couldn't help but exclaim. This place was straight out of his dreams.

As they went through the trees and approached the doors, Hashirama realized that the hotel actually looked pretty strange. There was a main gate, which was connected to the main building, but two wings expanded out from it, forming a palace-like setting, which looked really out-of-place with the modern times. Yet, that was only the beginning. The main building was constructed in a slightly classical style, with a black roof, white exterior walls, and old-fashioned metal railings on the balconies. Okay, nothing special, but the wings were ultra-weird. The two wings were constructed in completely different architectural styles: the right wing was constructed in a Zen-like manner with reflecting pools and relaxing tones, while the right was the opposite. It wasn't Zen-like: in fact, it looked kind of sad, with the slightly worn baroque style architecture. Yes, it was beautiful in its own way, with the amazing carved decorations of flowers and vines flying up the pillars, but the visible wear and tear made Hashirama feel depressed. He hoped his room wasn't in there. The place had hit its peak somewhere in time, and now it was slowly degrading.

"Anija, get in." Tobirama's voice dragged him out of his reverie. "I don't want to hold on to the luggage any longer. I want to go to our room and rest."

"Of course, of course, Tobi." Hashirama replied, giving him an apologetic smile as he walked over to the revolving doors.

* * *

Tobirama pushed through the revolving doors, admiring the lobby décor. Normally, he didn't like old interiors, but the place radiated history, which he absolutely loved. The floor was nicely carpeted with dark tones. A huge stained-glass window glowed from behind the front desk, and as sunlight poured in, casted faint colorful shadows on the white marble surface. The pattern was quite unorthodox: a red iris-like circle with beautiful black lines intersecting in between, set in a sea of sun yellow. Some of the lines resembled sabers, while others looked like swirls. He heard a gasp behind him, and as he turned around, saw his brother gaping at the pattern with something like fear flashing in his eyes.

"Anija?"

"No, nothing, Tobi. Don't mind me." His brother replied, giving him a fake smile. Tobirama frowned. Okay, something wasn't quite right here. His brother was rarely afraid of anything, and now he's afraid of some stained-glass window? He decided to find answers later. He walked up to the front desk and before he could say anything like where the heck can they park the car or where can they temporarily store the luggage, an energetic voice chirped from _below_.

"Hello, dear guests! Check-in? Identification please!" A girl with black, choppy hair in a ponytail and mischievous eyes jumped up and smiled. She wore a black suit vest over a long sleeved white shirt along with a knee-length skirt with slits at the side. Black sheer leggings adorned her legs, and black pumps covered her feet. Tobirama wasn't exactly sure why he thought this girl was mischievous, but his instinct told him she was. "Although I assume you are Mr. Tobirama Senju, I have to be sure!"

"Wait, why do you know my name?" Tobirama demanded. _He_ wasn't the one who did the booking! The girl winced slightly, as if realizing she said the wrong thing before she smiled again.

"Relative information was found when we searched your brother. No matter. That is for optimal service. Anyway, check-in?" She asked so enthusiastically Tobirama was swept away from his suspicion. He nodded, and dragged his brother over.

"He's the one who did the booking." He said, motioning for his brother. "Anija, get your identification card out."

His brother complied and handed over the card. The girl took it and started typing stuff into the computer while simultaneously firing questions at the Senju brothers

"Mr. Hashirama Senju? One room for two, correct? Seven nights? Breakfast and dinner included? What type of room do you want?"

"Yes, yes, yes –"

"Wait, what?" Tobirama asked in confusion. What kind of room?

"Yes, of course. Because we don't have many guests, we have a lot of types of rooms for customers to choose from!" The raven pushed forward a list of rooms with pictures. "We have all sorts of rooms: there's the Zentangle-themed room, the modern Zen, the ocean-themed, the ancient Greek themed…"

"Wait, what do you mean by not many guests?" Tobirama demanded, mystified and slightly outrageous. Seriously, what hotel gives you such a service because of such a ridiculously odd reason? For the little amount of money they spent no less? "What are you talking about?"

"Just choose a room, please." The girl said with a cramped smile. "I have to enter the information."

"Tobi, let me choose, okay?" His brother pleaded. "Um, we'll take the traditional Japanese room, is that alright?"

"Oh, of course you can!" A clattering of keyboard strokes followed. "Entered! Now, I'll get you to your room. By the way, I'm Izuna." She smiled and walked out of the desk. "Now, where are your bags?"

"Wait, can we just park in front of the doors?" Tobirama asked.

"I'll get your car volley parked. Please give me your keys." Another raven replied as he came out of the door behind the front desk. Tobirama briefly wondered how he heard them. This one had smooth long hair in a ponytail with long bangs on either side of his face. With deep tear troughs etched on his face, he looked older than he was supposed to be. His eyes were twin midnight pools, quite beautiful in an artistic way to behold but seemed to hold a sadness so great it seemed to be seeping out of his obsidian orbs. He reminded Tobirama of someone who wanted something greatly but could never have it. Perhaps the Greek myth of Tantalus was what he was like. "We have a parking lot behind the hotel."

"Um, I think I'll manage-"

"Oh, don't worry! Itachi is our master driver here, and we won't be charging you anything." Izuna chirped. She lifted Tobirama's suitcase with zero effort and talked to the other staff through a little microphone on her ear. Three second later, yet another raven stepped out of the door behind the front desk. (What is the deal with ravens in this place?) This one was a girl in a long-sleeved suit jacket and a black dress with slits on the side like Izuna's, her hair spiky like a porcupine's. Her eyes were also black, like all the others, and her face was pale. Sort of like a vampire in Tobirama's opinion. She walked over to his brother's side and picked his luggage up. Izuna turned and walk over to the elevator, which was at the right of the lobby. Tobirama stared in amazement at the elevator when they approached it, wondering how they got someone to build such a thing.

Antique metal bars formed a cage-like structure over the doors, and as Izuna pressed a button, they slid open and revealed a polished wooden room with a gold-plated floor panel on the left. Each floor button was a kind of gemstone: the lobby floor was a round-cut garnet, the second floor was a pearl-cut amethyst, and it went on until the twelfth floor, which was an oval-cut blue topaz. Tobirama stared at the buttons in amazement. He had never seen such precious buttons. Most elevator buttons were simple studs of plastic or metal, but a huge gemstone? Not once in his life. Considering the lobby had freaking stained glass windows, he figured this was nothing. Izuna pressed the pink tourmaline button and smiled. Tobirama felt a little insulted and embarrassed at such a feminine color being his floor. He was hoping for something like topaz or sapphire, anything but pink.

"Your room is on the tenth floor." She said as light shined through the whole gem, giving off a pink glow that was both entrancing and strangely aggressive, as if reminding him that pink could be strong and powerful as well, not just some girly color. They rode up the elevator in silence, until Izuna started firing away like a machine gun.

"So! The breakfast buffet is on the second floor, the dinner restaurants are at the other side… you can get there by walking through the passage on the second floor. The library is on the fourth floor, and it's free for all. The pool is on the third floor in the central building, and there's an outdoor pool outside." She said all that in one breath. Tobirama glanced over at his brother, who looked extremely overwhelmed. Sighing, he mouthed "I'll fill you in later" and resumed listening to Izuna's tirade-like intro of the hotel. "Your room is traditional Japanese style, so there will be futons and a Japanese tub. There is hot spring water running from the tap."

"Um, okay…"

"Anyway, we're here!" Izuna held the door open for them and the other raven stayed behind, allowing them to get out first. Hashirama was the first one out, and Tobirama followed his brother as he gaped at the Zen wallpaper and skipped around the hallway. His luggage bearer stood at the side, silently tolerating the childlike side of his brother. Personally, Tobirama thought the hallway was the extremely boring kind: the kind with doors on both sides and dark carpeted floors, but well, his brother was enthusiastic about everything except work. Izuna led them down the hall, muttering as she went.

"1005, 1006, 1007… just a few more… 1010, 1011, 1012…and 1013! Here's your room! One swipe of the room key unlocks the door!" Izuna said as she cranked the door handle, got in, and slid open the inner door. For once in his life, Tobirama was completely speechless and dumbstruck. His brother was just as dazed.

"Oh my…"

The room was very spacious; it was larger than their apartment plus their balcony. The central room was tatami floored, with an elaborately carved wooden table standing in the center of the room. Beautiful tea cups with delicately drawn plants and blue wave-like designs stood upside down on the table, along with two plates of wagashi shaped like chrysanthemums and a traditional Japanese teapot with a weird symbol that looked like some sort of trident. A few tea bags sat in the basket beside them, waiting to be opened and made. Izuna and the other raven set down their suitcases beside the table gracefully, without even as much as grazing it. Right in front of the table was a crystal-clear window that gave an amazing view of the woods. Bellow, a little creek flowed through the rock bed. There were doors on either side of the living room, and as Izuna opened the left side, revealed a bedroom just as large. It was also tatami floored, and another little table with a few glasses stood in the middle. A little cavern with a scroll and a vase of flowers stood at the right-hand corner, right beside a paper lamp with a wooden frame.

"Here's the bed room. Whenever you want the futons set up, just call the front desk. We're on 24-hour duty." Izuna said as her fellow staff opened the closets and checked the mattresses. Tobirama could faintly see the embroidery on the blankets before she closed it silently again.

"Now, the bathroom. Follow me!" She led them out of the bedroom and walked over to the other side. The other raven came forward and slid open the door and revealed a room specifically designed for lounging after a bath. Wooden lounging chairs were set about, with white towels and bathing robes folded neatly on them. The room was connected to a shower with black tiled floors. A balcony extended out, and an onsen with the same black tiles and border rocks was etched into the ground. Wooden railings encircled the area, blending perfectly with the greenery behind it.

"Is it to your liking, sir?" Izuna asked as her hand brushed lightly on a branch that extended a little into the balcony. Tobirama noted the stark contrast of the bark and her palm: dark and light, soft and hard.

"We can't ask for anything better than this." He managed, after prying his eyes away from the white skin. He didn't understand why that fascinated him. He felt that he had seen more of her skin than that palm, but that was absolutely ridiculous. He had never met the girl before. Izuna beamed, and led them back to the living room. She showed them where the minifridge was, and where the closets were. Hashirama immediately stuck his jacket in there.

"Everything in the fridge is free." She promised. "Feel free to have whatever you want." She turned to her raven colleague and began to walk towards the door. "That's all for the tour. Have a good stay!"

"Wait!" Hashirama called. Tobirama glanced at him in confusion. The tour seemed pretty thorough. However, his brother asked something that was completely out of his predictions. "What is your name?"

At first Tobirama thought he was talking to Izuna. Sure, his brother can be absentminded, but he wouldn't miss something like that. Then he realized he was talking to the girl beside Izuna. The raven turned and gave Hashirama a long stare. Izuna laughed nervously and began to answer.

"Oh yes, silly me. I forgot to introduce her. Uh, this is -"

"Madara." The raven replied, her eyes piercing. Tobirama didn't notice it before, but now he realized the raven's eyes didn't look friendly nor safe. They were black, like Izuna's, but they seemed to swirl with darkness. "My name, is Madara."


	3. Chapter 2

Dear readers, the second chapter for this story is up! This is kind of a slow burn, description-centered story, so the action will come much later. Please enjoy.

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"Finally, rest." Tobirama exclaimed as he walked over to the resting room and lay onto one of the lounging chairs. Hashirama smiled, and began to make tea. Sure, it was a habit of old men, but he liked it. He gently poured hot water from the water boiler (which was already boiled. Talk about first rate service!) into the teapot and began thinking about the woman that took his luggage. No, girl was more like it. She looked young, a little over eighteen. Twenty maybe. She had one of those faces that looked ageless, but her spiky hair suggested she might still be young. Normal women didn't arrange their hair like that, especially matured women. What got Hashirama the most was her eyes. They were black as midnight, and they seemed to glow from within. They were beautiful, Hashirama thought as he added some tea leaves into the tea pot. He placed the lid on top and waited for the essence of the leaves to seep into the water, transforming them into divine liquid fit to serve at a king's table. Hashirama had paid attention to where those tea bags came from, and he wasn't surprised when he saw the icon of one of the most prestigious tea companies printed on them.

" _Let's hope we don't have to pay for these. I don't see any price list, but if we need to, it's not going to be pretty, but oh well."_ He thought. He looked out of the huge glass window at the shimmering creek and the vibrant shades of green. The forest outside was truly breath-taking, enhanced by the amazing transparency of the glass window. He decided he would go for a walk in the forest tomorrow. He lifted the lid of the pot to check the color, and the aroma of tea leaves wafted out.

"Finally, I can enjoy it." He said out loud. He took the clay tea cup with tree vines patterns and poured the clear light green liquid in. He took a little sip and smiled.

" _Wonderful tea. Better than any I've tasted."_ He thought as he cut into the delicate petals of the chrysanthemum-shaped wagashi. He placed the slice into his mouth, and let the sugary creation melt into his mouth, mingling with the tea. The sweet-bitter contrast was heavenly.

"Anija, you finished making your tea? Kami, your habit doesn't change no matter where you are." Tobirama asked, walking towards him from the lounging room. Hashirama laughed and poured another cup for him, using the wave patterned one.

"Here. The waves fit you." He said. Tobirama gave him a small smile, and took his tea. They drank in silence, savoring the peaceful atmosphere of the moment.

* * *

"My art is way better than yours, un!"

"Shut up, brat. It is NOT."

That's what Hashirama and Tobirama heard when they journeyed to the other wing of the hotel in pursuit of their dinner. Night had fallen way faster than they realized, so they decided to have an early dinner and prepare for the meeting tomorrow. What they didn't expect was a blond boy and a redhead arguing in front of what seemed to be like a restaurant.

"Um, is the restaurant open now?" Tobirama asked, effectively breaking up the fight. The blonde turned around and looked at him, a guilty and apologetic smile on his lips. Tobirama thought he looked flirty, and his tight black pants just strengthened his assumption that this boy was a natural flirt. Everything about him seemed flimsy, from his long, flowing blond hair to his tight bartender outfit. His blue eyes shown with mischief that drove men wild and made women blush.

"Sorry, un. To answer your question, yes, it's open. He will lead you to your table." He gestured towards the redhead, whose expression had calmed down from irritated to serene. The redhead, on the other hand, looked naturally sophisticated and dignified. He had choppy red hair that curled at the edges, and dreamy amber eyes. His skin was porcelain pale, and his body was lean. He was in a professional waiter outfit, and looked every bit in control.

"My name is Sasori, as in scorpion. Please follow me." He walked off, and they followed. The restaurant's interior space was decorated with modern taste, and the dark interior surprisingly enlivened the room. Dark glass creations were placed in a haphazard but artist fashion around the space, varying in size, height, and shape, some like bamboo shoots popping out of the floor, some floating in midair. Dangling light bulbs hung from the ceiling, shining like stars as their light were refracted and reflected on the shiny surfaces, giving the restaurant a surreal feel. The light at the top and the decreasing density of black glass ornaments with increasing height created an amazing gradient that dominated the entire space. Sasori led them to a table beside a dark glass creation of wave-like grass. Tobirama stared in amazement at the chairs, which were made entirely out of glass: transparent panels intersecting to form the structure of the chair with a purple cushion for comfort.

"Please, have a seat." Sasori produced two menus out of nowhere and handed one to each of them. "I will bring you both a glass of water." He ducked behind a glass iceberg and seemed to disappear. Probably an ocular deception, but it felt a little creepy that the redhead could navigate so effortlessly through the labyrinth of dark reflections and dabs of light every which where.

"Well, then. What do you want, Tobi?" His brother asked as he peered into his menu. Tobirama looked down, and realized the menu was surprisingly diverse. Almost any type of cuisine was served: from sashimi to spaghetti, from camembert soufflé to couscous. Even American fast food, elegantly served in delicate glassware, was present. He was going to have a hard time deciding. Fortunately, Sasori appeared to solve his dilemma. He appeared from behind one of the panels, armed with two glasses and a bottle of clear water.

"Voila. Water for two." He said, his voice deep and melodious, as he poured the sparkling liquid into two uniquely designed glasses: round base, and tilted like they were going to fall over any time soon. "Which kind of cuisine would you like today? Just choose what you would like, and we would concoct a creative course for you."

"Um…" Tobirama didn't know what to answer. Going over everything about food he knew in his mind, he went for the kind he knew best. "Japanese."

"Japanese? Very well. Hot starter or cold?"

"Cold sashimi, please."

"Of course." Sasori replied as he wrote everything down on the little notepad. "Main course? Fish? Or would you like meat?"

"Chicken, please."

"Of course. You, sir? Sasori asked as he turned to Hashirama. "What would you like?"

"The same but with beef."

"Very well. Please, enjoy the décor while we prepare your meal. The glass artwork is first rate, all museum quality." With that, the redhead went off. Tobirama took a careful look around the room, taking in the breathtaking detail. Black glass shimmered in different hues of umber as they took the shapes of organic and inorganic forms: long grass, flowing waves, icebergs, flowers, vases… it was like a glass park. Everything was beautiful beyond belief, but something didn't seem right. The place was nearly devoid of any other color. Just then, Sasori came over with two elegant champagne flutes.

"Thought you might want something to start your meal. Since it is Japanese, we will go with ume sake." Sasori explained as he poured the golden liquid into the flutes. He then scooped out two marinated plums and dropped them in. "Enjoy."

"Wait, how much is all this?" Tobirama asked, suddenly afraid. If this was the first thing, how much are the others going to cost? The sake itself seemed pretty expensive. Sasori turned around and smiled mysteriously. His eyes seemed to gleam with amusement, and the left corner of his mouth turned up in a lopsided smirk.

" _Monsieur_ , all is included in the hotel fee."

* * *

It was, as far as Tobirama knew, the best chicken teriyaki rice he had ever tasted. The amazing salty-sweet concoction of a sauce, the delicate balance between softness and hardness of the chicken slices, the perfection in the cooking of the rice…everything about his main course was perfect. After the champagne flutes were cleared off, Sasori began bringing over the best dishes he had ever seen or tasted, all arranged in beautiful formations: Sashimi in the form of a realistic koi, steamed leaf vegetables arranged in flower forms, all placed in sophisticated glass or Japanese lacquerware containers. Everything was so pretty he nearly didn't want to destroy them with his chopsticks. As they waited for their dessert, he chatted with his brother about the general going of things. They both agreed that this was beyond what they had expected for the money they paid.

"I feel like a millionaire." Hashirama said, content evident on his face. He had finished everything faster than Tobirama did, and looked like he could eat ten more plates of it. Sasori overheard the comment as he came over with the desserts and smiled slightly.

"It is our pleasure that you feel that way, sir." He said as he set down the wooden tray loaded with a glass bowl filled with kanten (agar jelly), anko paste, shirotama dangos, and matcha ice cream. Mango slices and a single Moschino cherry decorated the whole creation. "Please, enjoy our signature anmitsu with tea." He set down two tea cups and left. Tobirama and Hashirama dove into their desserts as soon as he left.

"Amazing." Hashirama commented after half of the bowl was empty. Tobirama nodded, munching on dangos. He wasn't such a fan of sweet things, but the anmitsu was superb. The sweetness was just right. Sasori watched them eat in a distance, something weird in his eyes. Tobirama thought they looked almost hungry, and a bit wistful. The amber eyes almost felt the same as Itachi's: bottomless, and eternally longing. Then, it was gone. No more emotion. The same default dreamy cat eyes were back. He walked towards their table, an elegant smile on his statuesque features.

"Are you finished, sir?" He asked. Tobirama and Hashirama nodded, and Sasori cleared away their trays.

"Um…check?" Hashirama asked. Sasori turned around and shook his head.

"Sir, the meal is included in your hotel fee. There is no check." He replied, irritation showing slightly on his otherwise serene face. Tobirama nodded, and his brother dipped his head apologetically. "Have a good night."

"Okay. Thank you for your service." Tobirama replied as he stood up. His brother stood up as well, and together, they walked out the restaurant. Tobirama turned back to thank the waiter again, but realized he was gone, as if he had melted into the maze of shadows, light, and black glass.

Sasori poured himself a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon as he wiped the glass table clean. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, but the truth was right before his eyes.

"He has returned. For the first time." He muttered, swirling the burgundy liquid in his wine glass as he stared at a pair of hands made entirely out of glass. With a careless tug, he pulled an invisible string, and the hands shifted and flew into the air. It stayed suspended in mid-air, nearly grasping the sparkling bulbs as it cast entrancing shadows around the restaurant, until Sasori sighed and flicked his hand. The sculptures drifted downwards and sank back to their original spot, as if nothing had happened.

"Is it a good thing? Or perhaps it is not?"

* * *

Okay, here's a question for you. Would you like a sad ending story or happy ending story? Please comment!


	4. Chapter 3

Back from the dead. Trying to claw my way out of all of the schoolwork. Anyway, alive again. Readers, please stick to the story, please?

* * *

As they head back to their room, Tobirama and Hashirama ran into Madara, who was walking towards the bar. She smiled slightly, but the smile didn't extend to her eyes.

"Hello, sirs." She greeted. "Are you ready for your futon?" Her eyes were cold. Not the unfriendly kind of cold, but the distant kind of cold. Hashirama thought she would look better if she smiled: everyone does. Yet he got the feeling that she hadn't been smiling at all these days. By smile, he meant the pure happiness kind, not the business-like trademark smirk.

"Um…we're ready." He replied, slightly intimidated. Madara spoke into her earphone and suddenly, Izuna appeared out of nowhere, at least, from what it seemed like to Hashirama.

"Futon preparations? Of course!" She said cheerfully, leading them all to the elevator. "We'll do it right away. This way please!"

Madara and Izuna set record time as they whisked out the mattress, pillows, and blankets, spreading them out in a wide arc. Everything seemed to fall in place as if governed by magic, and the embroidered maple leaves seemed to unfurl and fly into the air. Madara meticulously ruffled the pillows and placed them at the head of the mattress, and Izuna gave them a little introduction of the material of the blankets.

"Okay, so these futons are stuffed with first grade cotton and foam and covered with wool. It is guaranteed to be comfortable; we tested it ourselves." Izuna said, winking. Madara smirked lopsidedly as well. Pretty soon, the futons were ready for having a good night's sleep in them. Madara stood up from her kneeling position and bowed with Izuna.

"We hope you have a good night, sirs." They said in unison, before going briskly out the door. Madara seemed to turn around and slightly glance at Hashirama before she slid the door closed, but he could have been imagining things. Tobirama immediately fell face first into the mattress, and moaned with bliss.

"Some top-quality futon! This is superb…" His voice became more and more muffled as he nuzzled into the blankets. Hashirama chuckled and settled into his. His sighed in content. It really was comfortable: soft and lovely and fluffy. He rested his head on the pillow and felt himself getting sleepy.

"Tobi, can you turn off the lights?"

"ZZZZZZZ"

"Okay, maybe not… good night."

 _Click_

* * *

"Anija, get up…"

"Huhhh?" Hashirama groaned through the blankets. Whose voice was that?

"Get up, Anija!" Tobirama's voice boomed through his eardrums. Hashirama shot up like a rocket and glared at his brother, who was standing beside mattress with his hands crossed. "The futon is wonderful, but we can't afford to sleep late today." He explained.

"Oh, oh yes. The meeting. I almost forgot." Hashirama grumbled as he pushed his own dark brown locks out of his face. Yesterday's unrealistic, exotic, and dreamy events had made him forget everything about the real world for a moment. "I'll be ready in a sec."

"Don't lie to me. You won't be ready in a sec, but whatever." Tobirama muttered as he combed his spiky white hair.

It took ten minutes, but finally, Hashirama got all the knots out of his hair and washed his face clean. The bathroom provided fragrant and soothing face wash, and Hashirama slathered on generous amounts, creating white creamy-looking bubbles. He put on his suit (specifically prepared for today and today only) and went out to meet with his brother.

"I'm ready now. Do we have breakfast first or prepare first?" He asked as he struggled with his tie. Tobirama motioned for the door.

"Breakfast. I want some energy in me first." He said decisively. "Without breakfast, we probably can't think properly."

Thank goodness the breakfast hall was in the same building. Otherwise, Hashirama would not have found it even if he tried. He was too busy admiring the whole place. Everywhere he went things got more and more beautiful. The wallpaper, ornaments, gleaming windows… it was impossible to not get side-tracked. It was almost a good thing Tobirama doesn't have such a fascination with lovely things.

"Anija, stop staring. We're here." Tobirama grumped as they reached the breakfast buffet hall. The breakfast hall was just as beautiful as the rest of the architecture: black hanging lamps with gold plated inside hung from the high wooden ceilings, making the whole space feel impossibly huge. Not many people were in there, though. A really buff guy was having breakfast with a girl with flowing black hair. They were completely opposite in every aspect: pale and tan, long and spiky, delicate and buff. A silver haired guy who looked like he didn't have much purpose in life was looking around absent-mindedly as he sipped on his coffee, his half-lidded eyes slightly glazed over. Before he could zone in on more people, a girl with chin length purplish-blue hair and a labret on her lower lip walked over and greeted them.

"Hello, table for two?" Her voice had the unique quality of being cool but not too cold. She held a small card in her hand that indicated a seat was in use. "Which room number?"

"Um, 1013."

"Oh, okay. Follow me." She entered the number into the system and walked off elegantly, her figure nicely curved and upright. She placed the card on the crisp white surface of a table beside the window and turned to them once more. "Please, feel free to take whatever you wish in the buffet. You can also order from the menus on the table." She walked away briskly, heading towards a ginger haired man with piercings on his face. Hashirama stared at the clean white plate on his table and polished cutlery, wondering whether he should get up or read the menu. He decided he didn't want to wait.

"Tobi, what are you going to have? Menu or buffet?" He asked his brother, who was staring intently at the menu. Tobirama looked up and shook his head.

"Today we don't have much choice, because we can't afford to wait for a meal." He replied. "Let's get up and grab some breakfast."

As Tobirama wondered amongst the rows of breakfast goods, he noted how much variety it presented. Just the bread alone boasted an array of ten kinds, all arranged artistically on a branch-like rack. The bottom had big breads like toast, and the size decreased as it went up, with the tiny croissants at the top. Tobirama grabbed a few jam-filled pastries and went on searching. He looked through the cooked goods section, and noted how well the eggs were scrambled and how golden the hash browns were fried. A stack of pancakes and waffles sat on the same gigantic plate, little pots of gleaming golden syrup and custard cream of every flavor placed beside it. A bowl of berry compote consisting of all the berries he could think of was also prepared for any health lovers out there. Tobirama took one waffle and poured some syrup over it, the gleaming liquid filling the little crisp brown squares. He took one look at the pancakes and took one as well, throwing some chocolate cream on it.

"The chocolate custard goes well with the berry compote." A voice sounded behind him. He spun around and came face to face with Izuna, who smiled at him. "Just a suggestion." She said lightly.

"Um, okay." Without thinking, he scooped some compote onto his pancake even though he didn't care much for berries. Izuna smiled again and left.

"Hmm, weird girl." Tobirama muttered as he glanced at the red liquid and sugared orbs mingling with the creamy brown mount on his dessert.

* * *

Hashirama was just pouring some pre-made coffee into his cappuccino cup when he felt someone approach him from behind. He turned his head slightly, starting when he realized Madara was standing right behind him.

"Um, hi?" He mustered, nearly pouring scalding hot coffee all over his palm and burning himself. Madara raised an eyebrow and handed him a little piece of cardboard with a cappuccino printed on it.

"Here." She said simply. "Put this on your table."

"Uh, why?" He asked stupidly. Kami, he felt like the lamest idiot in the world now.

"Just put it on your table and get rid of that cup you're holding." Before he could say anything, Madara plucked the cup away from his hand and walked off. Hashirama stared after her dumbly, unable to process what had happened. Sighing in defeat, he went back to the table and placed the card on the table. A minute later, the blunette waitress walked to his table with a cup of steaming, just-made cappuccino, with the perfect foam art of an intricate leaf on top. Hashirama stared in a stupor as she set down the cup right in front of him.

"Cappuccino for one." She said simply.

"But I didn't order…" He protested.

"You have the order card on your table, sir. I'm sure you did." She said, smiling a little. "Enjoy."

* * *

"Okay, so this girl just… gave you the card and you got to enjoy a cappuccino?"

"Tobi, I don't get it, okay? Stop asking for details. There aren't _any_." Hashirama muttered exasperatedly as he reviewed the schedule for the meeting. First came the announcing of new projects, then time out for casual but not-so-casual social time with all the bigshots. Finally, deals. This time, it would be difficult to convince those miserly bigshots, because they were so damn parsimonious about everything.

"Well, I would've enjoyed a cappuccino if I realized you could order one and get it so fast…" Tobirama murmured beside him. Hashirama rolled his eyes and resumed reviewing. He hoped he wouldn't mess up, which was highly likely. He just couldn't put on that scary accept-the-fucking-deal face Tobirama possessed. Madara seemed to have that effect more than he did… She made him accept that coffee ticket without accepting no as an answer. She even stole his cup and stomped off.

" _Why do I keep thinking about her? She's just some staff, even though she feels eerily familiar. The way she smiles… I've seen that smile. That slightly arrogant, cold, belligerent smile…hmm"_ He thought as he put on his tie. _"Where…?"_

"Anija, let's go." Tobirama's voice brought him back. "Ready for battle?" He winked, definitely an inside joke.

"Sure, let's do this." Hashirama replied confidently.

* * *

The meeting was…intimidating. Stiff, scary people like the Shimura Enterprise head Shimura Danzo went all out on intimidating techniques, but Tobirama, with his ultimate poker face, won all the staring contests. If it was not for him, the deals would never have fallen through. Even Hashirama was awed at his perseverance. His eyes literally had flames spewing out of them in furious blasts. Anyway, he was glad he could go back to his lovely hotel and enjoy the rest of the holiday. Judging by Tobi's face, he wanted just as much to lie on the hotel futon and go hibernate. They drove on in silence, trying to formulate a plan for enjoying the hotel as much as possible. Knowing Tobirama, he would probably head straight to the pool besides hibernating. Himself, however, he didn't know. He only knew the hotel had a pool and two restaurants; the other facilities… Izuna didn't say much about them. He was going to take a long time finding out. Pretty soon their magnificent hotel came into view, and the Senju brothers got out of the car. They entered the huge revolving doors, and were greeted by Izuna and her sister, Madara.

"Welcome back!" Izuna chirped cheerfully, while Madara gave them both a light smile. Seeing them after a long meeting, Hashirama suddenly couldn't wait for the holiday to begin.

* * *

Enjoy and review, my dear readers!


	5. Chapter 4

Okay, readers, I'm back from the SATs, which is like a battlefield. In this chapter, I'm trying to thicken the plot and give other literary techniques a try. Please enjoy and review.

* * *

"Ah, this is the life." Hashirama exclaimed as he slipped into the onsen in the room. Tobirama was going for a tour of the hotel and left him to his own devices, so he chose to immerse himself in the warm, relaxing waters of the hot springs. His hair was tied up in a bun, and he thanked his lucky stars no one ever saw him this way, or everyone would start calling him Lady-man for the rest of his life. He ladled some water with the wooden bucket and poured it over himself, letting the water flow down his arms and his back. He turned his head back, and before him a view of the trees was spread. Green leaves always made him feel good for some reason, so he kept a garden in his home, complete with every kind of plant he liked: succulents, towering amaryllises, short-lived hyacinths, prized bonsai, fruit trees… and his favorite, equinox flowers. He always found those flowers entrancing: the way those whisker-like filaments spreading outwards like palms and their bright red color were all extraordinary. He heard that these flowers had a very sad meaning to them, but he never paid attention to those things. Beautiful things were beautiful, and that was that.

"I wonder how well Tobirama's doing now." He thought as he sank into the water, the steam clouding his vision. His head was getting a little light, signaling he had to get out of the water to rest a little. Sighing, he stood up and wrapped a towel around his torso. He stepped on the stones on the ring of the pool, watching the drops of water form dark spots on the smooth surface. He walked over to the green leaves extending over the wooden railings and gently touched them, savoring the slightly cold sensation. It would feel even better if there were dewdrops on it.

* * *

Tobirama wondered around the library, staring at the shelves upon shelves of books. He never understood why hotels had libraries in them, because who would go read when they had a vacation to spend? Yet he was grateful for its presence, because right now he wanted something for his mind to work on. He spotted one with the title "Shuriken Jutsu: The Art of Weaponry During the Ninja Era" and pulled it out. He flipped through the book and marveled at all the hand-drawn pictures of deadly weapons. He couldn't quite understand how deadly these things were, because in his mind, a flying knife couldn't do much damaged if the thrower wasn't skilled. What if the handle hit your enemy? That would result in a bruise and a very definite kill on the enemy's part. He read through every explanation on how to use every blade and stopped when he saw a three-pronged kunai with inscriptions on it that looked oddly nice.

" _Hiraijin_ …?" He read aloud. Maybe it was the name of the weapon? Myths seemed to wrap around this blade, because according to the book, this blade was known for its teleportation: it teleports the user to the place with the same marking. Tobirama, of course, didn't believe in it. There was no such things as flying people and instant teleportation. Science wouldn't allow it. He flipped to another page, and a picture of a white-haired male appeared. The man was in a deep blue armor, and there was a helmet-like _hitaiate_ on his head.

"The creator and owner of the _Hiraijin_ kunai was the second Hokage, who led Konoha to its peak." He read, unconsciously furrowing his eyebrows. The man, how should he say this, looks… highly unlikable. His eyes were thin and unfriendly, and Tobirama immediately felt disdain towards this archaic character. This dude was seriously not going to be his friend if he met him when he was alive. He closed the book and walked out. Somehow, reading that book made him feel uncomfortable, and going back to his cheerful brother sounds like a wonderful idea right now. He spun around, and saw Izuna sitting in a nearby chair with a serene expression on her face. She smiled when he stared at her in surprise.

"Did I bother you? Sorry if I did. This is my favorite spot in the hotel." She explained, turning the pages of a flower-arranging book. Her eyes were languid, and her ponytail draped on her shoulder. Her body was slightly stretched forward, and her legs were bare until her mid-thigh. Tobirama's mind blanked for a second, and he stuttered _not at all_ before rushing out of the place. He had never felt such fluttering before. How did this girl with a naughty-looking face do it?

* * *

" _You're a dork! With your bowl cut!" A girl scoffed at him, her face etched in a smirk. The girl's face suddenly elongated and morphed into one of a pretty lady. "I told you not to trust them." Her voice was cold, but very amused, like she was expecting it. Her face was blurry, but he could still tell she was smirking. She laughed triumphantly, and leaned into him, her hair tickling his chin. "If you want to make the village stronger, you got to toughen up!" Her voice sounded beside his ear, filled with humor and for some reason, adoration. He felt weird joy bubbling in his chest, which was clearly not his. He had never met this girl, and a loving woman had never happened in his life. Why?_

"Anija, I'm back." Tobirama's cool voice shook him out of his dream. Hashirama sat up and realized that he was lying face first with his legs splayed out on one of the lounging chairs. Somehow, he relocated himself from the onsen and fell into a dead sleep on a chair. He rubbed his eyes sleepily and looked up at his brother's exasperated face. "Can you tell me why you're sprawled in such a weird position on the chair?"

"I fell asleep after spending too much time in the hot springs." He answered truthfully. "What have you been doing?"

"I've been reading." Hashirama mentally rolled his eyes. Why did his little brother have to be such a bookworm? Normal days he could understand, but on a vacation? That was seriously going into insane territory. What could he get out of books? Was it worth so much pleasure that he had to read it even when he could swim around in the hotel pool?

"Did you find anything good, though?" He asked exasperatedly. Tobirama's eyes seemed to flash for a second before returning to their original peacefulness.

"No, nothing much. Random ninja facts."

"I never knew you were interested in those things." Hashirama remarked as he got up from the chair, his robe nearly falling off his body in the process. He stretched lightly, and the woman flashed into his mind. Her personality wasn't the best; in fact, her personality would be called awful by his peers: cold, scoffing, and not really considerate at all, but he found her surprisingly compatible. He wasn't such a careful person, and she seemed to be able to anticipate his every mistake. No woman could do that, he was sure. He made way too much mistakes no one could anticipate them all, maybe except for his brother. His brother was the closest that came to preventing his innuendoes, but he hated it. His brother would rather not know when his stupid anija would make mistakes than having to be on his toes all the time. He walked over to the table and poured himself a cup of left over tea and slowly downed it, his nerves calming as the bitter liquid made its way into his stomach, its warmth spreading to his heart. Tobirama's eyes followed him around, and his burgundy eyes met his black ones as he turned back towards him.

"Have you been to the library?" He suddenly asked as he folded his arms over his chest. Hashirama looked up into his eyes in confusion.

"No, why would I? I don't even like to read that much." He said. Tobirama looked away, but he seemed to be troubled.

"I don't know, anija, but if you can, avoid it, because there's a feeling of dread when I read the books."

"Oh, okay. I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

In the bar, two figures sat at the counter reminiscing old times over glasses of cocktails. One of them had long, black locks, and the other had curly, short red hair.

"So, he's back." The raven purred, his golden eyes narrowing slightly. The red head nodded as he arched his neck, the second glass of Bloody Mary traveling idown his throat. "Does he remember? Is he like you guys, Sasori?"

"No. He's a good person, and he fought against Madara. What did you expect? He's practically a saint compared to us, Orochimaru." Sasori replied as he rested his glass onto the counter. Deidara started adding different liqueurs to his cocktail shaker, and after a pail of ice, started shaking artistically, a routine so fit for his flamboyant personality. The shaker flew up, spun a summersault, and travelled around his torso with the help of skilful fingers. Orochimaru watched with child-like awe in his eyes, but Sasori didn't even spare him a glance. Deidara opened the shaker and poured the newly made mojito into Sasori's glass and after some thought, tossed in a sprig of mint. Sasori immediately picked up the glass and took a sip.

"So, what else do you wish to know, Orochimaru?"

"I wish to know why he is here. Who is Rikudo Sennin aiming for this time? I'm so grateful he hasn't send Tsunade or Jiraiya my way yet." Orochimaru asked as he swirled his glass of vodka martini, his slitted-eyes filled with curiosity. "You are lucky on this part, Akasuna. He sent that bomber your way and he wanted to stay."

"Deidara sinned as much as I did. Of course he had to stay. Each time his art went off, he killed just as many people as I did when my puppets ran free." Sasori retorted irritatedly. He got irritated whenever this snake came to chat because he always brought up old memories that serve nothing more than to make them all guilty. Considering how much _he_ sinned, Sasori couldn't fathom how he could speak of the past so fondly. What was there to like? "Have you gotten any encounters yet?"

"Me? No, because I don't have feelings for many people." The snake replied as he rested his chin on his hand. "I remembered he once sent Anko, but I don't feel much for that pupil of mine. She betrayed me in the end. The most recent one… Kabuto? I don't know why he could leave, but he left a few weeks ago. That's the only one I had the urge to make him stay. How about you, Akasuna? Besides Deidara, how many?"

"Once Chiyo came to visit. Too many mixed feelings, so when she left I felt only sorry. No heartache. The successor of my most powerful puppets, Mother, Father, and myself, Sabaku Kankuro, also came for a few days with his siblings. When he left, I'm happy for him. Rikudo Sennin must not have thought really bad of me, or I would get much worse people. Or perhaps my emotions were sealed away when I made myself into a puppet." The puppeteer remarked as he downed the rest of his mint cocktail. Orochimaru followed his hand movements and sighed.

"We've digressed too far. I want to know why Hashirama Senju has arrived and has not reclaimed his memories. He is one of the good guys, sure thing, but he is a person from the Warring States era. No one from the Warring States era could leave, no matter how strong or how innocent they seemed. Madara might have stood a chance against the punishment with her power, but she chose not to, claiming she could never forgive herself. Shodai is bound to feel his punishment pretty soon. Just look at Izuna: all she ever did was persuade her dear old sister to not bond with the Senjus. It may not seem all that significant, but just look at what that had led to. Shodaime would also be held responsible through this way, because he could not persuade Madara to back away from the shadows she later become entrapped in." Orochimaru reasoned as he sipped his vodka. "What I don't understand is why Rikudo Sennin bothered to get him in here. Hashirama Senju is too strong. He could bring down this place in an instant, and combined with Madara's raw strength, nothing can stop them."

"You just didn't get the connection, old snake. Of all the things you have come to learn and understand, you cannot even for an instant understand the most complex emotion of all: love." Sasori replied coolly as he watched Deidara give him an exasperated roll of his eyes behind the snake's back.


	6. Chapter 5

Hello, again, readers. It has been a few months at least since I last updated on anything. I hope you all understand the stress of twelfth grade, when everything is a spiral of craziness. Anyway, back with more chapters, so please continue to support the story if you like it! I would really appreciate it.

* * *

The next day, Hashirama decided _he_ would be the one to explore the hotel. His brother had decided to finally stick to the hotel pool. Well, about time he went relaxing. He pressed the button for the elevator and pondered about where to go. The library? Nah. The pool? He didn't want to go for a dip. The bar? It was midday. With a light _ding-dong_ , the elevator door opened, and with a sigh, he went into the little fancy cubicle. A plaque of floor directions stared at him from beside the row of buttons.

"Okay, there's an exhibition room, a lounge, a gym…" Hashirama read. "A book shop, a gift shop, a museum…. A museum?" What the hell was a museum doing in a hotel? Plus, what _was_ there to display about? The hotel's history? Out of curiosity, he pressed the button for it, which was the fifth floor.

"Okay, here goes nothing." He thought as the elevator descended.

"Oya oya oya, I have a visitor, how rare." A man (or woman, for that matter) purred as he stared at Hashirama's eyes. He had pale, pale skin and amber eyes that shone with frightening amusement. Purple eyeliner adorned his eye lids, and silky black hair tied into a Japanese chignon with pretty _kanzashi_ pins dangled from his head. He was in a pale blue men's kimono, but it still looked girlish on his slim frame. Hashirama wondered what exactly this dude with a man's voice and a feminine appearance was: woman? Or man?

"Um, I'm here to, uh, see stuff?"

"Of course you are. I'm the guide, so please come with me. If you have any questions, please ask." Orochimaru's face was twisted into an odd smile, and he gestured at the exhibits. "All of them come from the shinobi era."

Hashirama stared at the rows and rows of kunai, shuriken, makimono, swords, and ninja sandals. All of them were fascinating, and he had a great time wandering around. Orochimaru followed him with his amber eyes, an amused smile curling on his lips. This prompted Hashirama to never turn around les he wanted to get startled out of his skin. Some of the exhibits were open to touching, so Hashirama fingered every single weapon he could get his hands on. He was scrutinizing a huge shuriken when a sword caught his eye. It wasn't exactly a flashy sword: normal blade, bland handle, but it seemed to have been a weapon of great importance. The blade had some dried-up blood plastered at the tip.

"That sword played a great role." Orochimaru's raspy voice sounded behind his head. Hashirama whipped around and came face-to-face to the man. Orochimaru smirked and went on talking. "It is responsible for the defining moment in history: the starting point of all war and chaos between two families. Two leaders clashed, and only one emerged victorious. It was a triumph for the justified, but in essence a betrayal between two friends." His eyes narrowed into slits, his demeanor resembling one of a sly snake. Dread settled into Hashirama's chest, a recognition he didn't realize, a horrible feeling that he understood what the snake was talking about, even though he knew nothing about it. "Don't you know that the best, Mr. Senju? Don't you understand that more than anyone?" His tone was accusatory, and one of his bony fingers pointed at his chest in an act of amused disapproval. "I don't know about the others, but shouldn't you know?" The words were like a neurotic toxin, quietly crushing his mind. "Mr. Senju, Shod – "

"Orochimaru." A cold voice clipped off the rest of whatever the snake-like man was saying. Madara's heels clanged against the wooden floor, and her eyes gleaming with unconcealed rage. She seemed to appear out of thin air. "Your job is to guide people, not intimidate them. Let me handle him, you are dismissed." She waved her hand dismissively but authoritatively, brushing the snake off.

"Madara, you should let me handle this one! I mean, he would be so fast in learning that – "

 _Shink_

The rest of Orochimaru's sentence died in his throat as the tip of a silver blade pressed against his forehead, a few pieces of his bangs fluttering to the floor. Hashirama stared in absolute surprise and horror at Madara's outstretched arm, its length elongated by holding a long sword he had just been messing with. A drop of sweat ran down Orochimaru's face, even though a smirk adorned his lips.

"Dismissed. Now. Orochimaru." Madara's tone allowed for no negotiation. Orochimaru bowed stiffly and left after throwing a cold glare at him and Madara. Hashirama let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding in, and Madara sheathed the sword and placed it back into the glass case. Her movements were refined and elegant like those of a trained samurai warrior.

"You practice sword art?" He asked out of curiosity. Madara's eyes travelled up his body and into his own. A silence prevailed for roughly two minutes.

"Yes." She finally replied. "Just a little hobby of mine. Good for self-defense." Her hands rearranged all the shuriken in the exhibition almost instinctively: a sign of nervousness. Hashirama blinked in confusion. Why was she nervous in telling him that?

"Um, so Orochimaru was lying about the sword?" He asked, deciding to change the subject. Madara's eyes became slightly unfocused, and she shook her head.

"Half correct, half wrong." She said. "It was responsible for a defining moment in history, but it was not a betrayal; the leader deserved her death because she would not settle for a peace that was better for the masses."

"Her?"

"Uh, him… yeah, him." Madara's posture suddenly went rigid, and her voice became clipped. Hashirama frowned. Why was she nervous again? "My facts… have gone rusty."

"You don't sound so sure…"

"I am. I suppose you don't need any guiding anymore, so if you would excuse me, I have matters to attend to." Madara's feet were already shuffling towards the floor as she said it, and she was not meeting his eyes. "Please excuse me, Mr. Senju."

"Wait! Please tell me this: were those two families in good terms before the fight? The death of the leader instigated the rivalry, so they were good before that? And if the leaders were friends, why did they fight?" Hashirama didn't know why he cared so much about that. Maybe he was a naturally peace-loving person? Or maybe he cared a lot about human interactions? He didn't know.

"No, they were not. The two families were never in good terms. The leaders forged a path of possible peace, but it crumbled before it was even completed. They disagreed about peace, and that was the incentive of the fight." Madara turned around, and her eyes seemed to be filled with grief and pain. "The leader was foolish. I wish he had found out his idea of peace was as intangible as the sky before everything came crashing down." With a swish of her spiky black hair, she left the room, stripping away the wisp of familiarity that surfaced in Hashirama's mind.

* * *

Not very long, just to get everyone back into the story. Review, favorite, and follow! ^^


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